Public Safety committee  Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Jack Tinsley. I was born and raised in Winnipeg, and I've lived there all my life. If I may take a minute, I will tell you a little about my background and what I believe qualifies me to come to Ottawa and stand before you today. T

Public Safety committee  Currently, and for some time, in Winnipeg, when the police attend a domestic assault call, presumably, but not always, the husband is arrested for assault. Then, and only then, is there a check made to see if the arrested person has a firearms licence and any firearms registered.

Public Safety committee  I have a little more to say, if I could indulge a little more time...?

Public Safety committee  I think I just need another 90 seconds. Others will come here and read off reams of numbers relating to how often the police across the country use the registry effectively. If numbers were always correct and provided a clear picture, the Canada Revenue Agency could fire all its

Public Safety committee  Thank you, sir.

Public Safety committee  I can name the Saskatchewan police officers association and individual members of the Winnipeg Police Association. Those matters appear to be largely politically driven. Personally, I don't have a lot of interest in the politics of it. I know from talking to rank and file officer

Public Safety committee  Criminals, Ma'am, will utilize any weapon available to them. I personally can't recall there being an abundance of handguns as compared to long weapons in a lot of crimes. Criminals don't use registered firearms. They will break into houses and steal legitimately purchased, legit

Public Safety committee  I believe that's just a regional numbers coincidence. They will utilize any firearm they can get, and I assure you of that.

Public Safety committee  Absolutely. In my case, the chief of police who was serving that day was one of this country's biggest advocates of gun control. And he let that fact be known and made it perfectly clear that his senior administration should fall in line with his beliefs about that. A couple of

Public Safety committee  Absolutely. The very key to it--the success of the old firearms acquisition certificate system--was that when a person went to apply for that FAC, they went in person, they completed an application, and they submitted it in person to a police officer or a group of police office

Public Safety committee  To address the part of your question that I believe I understood, Ma'am, these very brave ladies to my right provided some statistical information that included the years 1991 to 2001. The FAC system, which was the previous system for screening potential gun owners, was in place

Public Safety committee  I'm sorry if I misunderstood you--

Public Safety committee  In a lot of those revocations the firearms licences were revoked for non-criminal matters--there were alcoholism or mental problems or things like that. So I'm not really sure there is a significant number of firearms licence revocations that take place as a result of information

Public Safety committee  Thank you, sir.

Public Safety committee  Yes, I was a former licensed Manitoba big game hunting guide, an appointed member of the Ashern, Manitoba past shooters hall of fame, a past shooter at the Lundar Manitoba all-Canada goose hunt, a former member of the pistol club, and a former Manitoba hunter safety assistant ins